In order to get your trip in order, decide on your priorities. If you want to follow your team wherever it goes, you may have to shell out quite a bit of dough, to include the cost of traveling between cities. On the other hand, if you want to have a recreational trip to Brazil interspersed with a bit of football, you may only catch the matches being played in one particular city, regardless of the competitors, and explore the city or the region around it in the meantime. The latter option would work especially well if you intend to make your base in the Amazonian city of Manaus or the ever-popular Rio de Janeiro. Having watched the football in these cities, you can then make your way into the fascinating Pantanal, or else relax on the famous beaches and other tourist attractions of Rio. The two largest cities in Brazil, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, are connected by air to most major capitals and cities in the world. The tickets, though, won't come cheap; you will have to pay at least USD 950-1000 for a return trip. There are two options for traveling around this gigantic country: buses and planes. The bus service is usually reliable and comfortable, but obviously slow. These coaches can cost as little as USD 50, though most will cost more. Flights will be expensive―up to USD 1,000-1,200 for return trips―but will allow you to spend some more time in a city before the big match. Prices of hotels and even hostels will shoot up dramatically during the World Cup, due to the inevitable influx of visitors from all over the world. Hostels, which are usually a budget traveler's dreamland, can charge more than USD 100 per night during the World Cup. Even the cheapest hotels will probably charge more than USD 200-300. Fashionable, high-scale hotels, especially in Rio, will charge more than USD 1,500-2,000 per night. The best option is to acquire a homestay or an apartment rental (for a large group) via valuable websites such as couchsurfing or Airbnb. Rooms acquired through the latter, and able to house 3 individuals, may cost less than USD 30 per person per night, although fashionable, luxury apartments may cost more than USD 1,000 per night (which would work out to USD 150-250 per person per night, depending on the size of your traveling party). Brazil also has a number of family-run guest houses called pousadas, which can be of help. State: Rio de Janeiro Stadium (Expected Capacity): Estádio do Maracanã (76,900) Matches To Be Hosted: June 15: Argentina vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina June 18: Spain vs. Chile June 22: Belgium vs. Russia June 25: Ecuador vs. France June 28: C1 (Winner of Group C) vs. D2 (Runner-up of Group D) July 4: Quarterfinal 1 July 13: Final Possibly the most famous city in the world, Rio has always been a tourist's favorite thanks to its stunning beaches. It also has the popular Sugarloaf mountain and, most importantly, the statue of Christ the Redeemer, which is considered one of the new seven wonders of the world. It is the perfect place to set up camp if you have high hopes for your country's progress, or if you are a true football fan regardless of the progression of your country, since it hosts the Final. State: São Paulo Stadium (Expected Capacity): Arena Corinthians (68,000) Matches To Be Hosted: June 12: Brazil vs. Croatia June 19: Uruguay vs. England June 23: Netherlands vs. Chile June 26: South Korea vs. Belgium July 1: F1 vs. E2 July 9: Semifinal 2 The largest city in Brazil is, in many ways, the spiritual home of Brazilian sports. Also, it is a popular tourist destination for its numerous museums, parks, and various cultural monuments and events. The main attraction for footy fans is the football museum at Santos. The forests of Costa Verde and the beach is also quite close by. State: Amazonas Stadium (Expected Capacity): Arena da Amazônia (42,300) Matches To Be Hosted: June 14: England vs. Italy June 18: Cameroon vs. Croatia June 22: United States vs. Portugal June 25: Honduras vs. Switzerland The sweltering heat and humidity of this Amazonian city may have been criticized by the England manager, but it is just something that comes with it being situated in the largest rainforest in the world. Its location means that it is one of the best cities to stay in if your primary interest in visiting Brazil is the experience rather than the football. It is the ideal place to venture into the Amazon rainforest. State: Mato Grosso Stadium (Expected Capacity): Arena Pantanal (42,900) Matches To Be Hosted: June 13: Chile vs. Australia June 17: Russia vs. South Korea June 21: Nigeria vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina June 24: Japan vs. Colombia Cuiabá, located at the exact center of South America, is the southern gateway into the Pantanal, one of the most fascinating and important ecological zones in the world. Like Manaus, it is a great place to start your excursions into this bewildering region. State: Federal District Stadium (Expected Capacity): Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha (70,000) Matches To Be Hosted: June 15: Switzerland vs. Ecuador June 19: Colombia vs. Ivory Coast June 23: Cameroon vs. Brazil June 26: Portugal vs. Ghana June 30: E1 vs. F2 July 5: Quarterfinal 3 July 12: Third Place Tie Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, is a fascinating display of modern architecture. Just aimlessly strolling through this planned city can be very entertaining, interspersed with visits to its cathedral, zoo, and many museums and historic sites. State: Minas Gerais Stadium (Expected Capacity): Estádio mineirão (62,500) Matches To Be Hosted: June 14: Colombia vs. Greece June 17: Belgium vs. Algeria June 21: Argentina vs. Iran June 24: Costa Rica vs. England June 28: A1 vs. B2 July 8: Semifinal 1 Belo Horizonte is the best place to experience the delicious mineirão cuisine. It is also home to the Inhotim contemporary art gallery. You can also hitch a ride to the Serra do Espinhaco Biosphere Reserve. It also has several excellent museums, such as the Natural History Museum and the UFMG Botanic Gardens. It also has a rich tradition of dance and theater. State: Ceará Stadium (Expected Capacity): Estádio Castelão (64,800) Matches To Be Hosted: June 14: Uruguay vs. Costa Rica June 17: Brazil vs. Mexico June 21: Germany vs. Ghana June 24: Greece vs. Ivory Coast June 29: B1 vs. A2 July 4: Quarterfinal 2 Like Recife or Salvador, Fortaleza is popular for its beaches. The Beach Park, 16 km from Fortaleza, is the largest water park in South America. Fortaleza also has a popular cathedral and fort. State: Rio Grande do Sul Stadium (Expected Capacity): Estádio Beira-Rio (51,300) Matches To Be Hosted: June 15: France vs. Honduras June 18: Australia vs. Netherlands June 22: South Korea vs. Algeria June 25: Nigeria vs. Argentina June 30: G1 vs. H2 Buildings such as Piratini Palace and the Public Market are worth a look, but what really steals the show in this city is the Paleontological and Botanical Museums, Farroupilha park. This city is also renowned all over Brazil for its nightlife and vibrant music scene. State: Bahia Stadium (Expected Capacity): Arena Fonte Nova (56,000) Matches To Be Hosted: June 13: Spain vs. Netherlands June 16: Germany vs. Portugal June 20: Switzerland vs. France June 25: Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Iran July 1: H1 vs. G2 July 5: Quarterfinal 4 Salvador is a popular beach retreat thanks to its several excellent beaches and surfing facilities. The Historic Center of Salvador is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is an excellent example of Portuguese architecture. It is also famous for its seafood-based cuisine, and the prevalence of the dance-martial art, capoeira. It also has several worthwhile museums, and it is also famous for its ubiquitous street art. ★ Salvador is the perfect city for traveling American fans, since it is quite close to Recife and Natal, the venues of two of the US' three group games, and is the venue of the pre-quarterfinal tie the US is most likely to contest. State: Pernambuco Stadium (Expected Capacity): Arena Pernambuco (46,100) Matches To Be Hosted: June 14: Ivory Coast vs. Japan June 20: Italy vs. Costa Rica June 23: Croatia vs. Mexico June 26: United States vs. Germany June 29: D1 vs. C2 Recife is, like Salvador, a popular beach retreat. It also has several points of interest for the casual tourist, such as the Museum of Pernambuco State. The picturesque colonial city of Olinda, just a stone's throw from Recife, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and definitely worth a visit. State: Rio Grande do Norte Stadium (Expected Capacity): Arena das Dunas (42,000) Matches To Be Hosted: June 13: Mexico vs. Cameroon June 16: Ghana vs. United States June 19: Japan vs. Greece June 24: Italy vs. Uruguay Natal is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Brazil. It has natural beauty aplenty in the form of stunning beaches and sand dunes, as well as historic monuments. It also has the second largest urban park in Brazil, the Dunas Park. It is also considered the safest capital city in Brazil. State: Paraná Stadium (Expected Capacity): Arena da Baixada (43,900) Matches To Be Hosted: June 16: Iran vs. Nigeria June 20: Honduras vs. Ecuador June 23: Australia vs. Spain June 26: Algeria vs. Russia Of all the stadia in the World Cup, this one is the most behind schedule, and could be stripped of its host duties if necessary deadlines are not met. Assuming it does go on to host World Cup matches, this city should be one of the most popular with visitors. It is famous for its parks, which celebrate and pay homage to Brazil's connection with other countries; German Woods, Italians Woods, Portugal Wood, and Japan Square are areas built to honor the association with the respective country. Apart from these intriguing memorials, it also houses a botanical garden, the Oscar Niemeyer Museum, and tanguá Park. Armed with this information, you can now go ahead and plan your way through this football carnival. Let's pack our bags, and let's get ready for some jogo bonito!